Tag Archives: Northern Lights

Day 217: Northern Lights Over Boulder Lake

August 27, 2014Year 1MN North: Boulder Lake, Northern Lightsrichardhoeg@gmail.com

Last night my Northern Lights software app alarm went off at 3 am. A quick look out the window confirmed that the rain I had heard earlier than evening had moved out of the area. Thus, by 3:15 am I was dressed and driving north to Boulder Lake. This remote lake is about 25 miles north of Duluth, Minnesota. While I did not get any pictures of birds while at the lake, shortly before the false dawn at 5 am I heard loons calling out mournfully through the darkness during a particularly bright display of the Aurora Borealis. The lights truly shined and danced last night.

LOL at myself. The first photo … the selfie of myself … was taken when it was only 48F outside. In my rush to leave the house last night I only threw on shorts, a t-shirt and a cotton sweater vest. Twas a bit cool hanging out on the lakeshore! Thankfully I had a blanket in the car in which I had wrapped myself. I guess Fall has arrived. Need to dress warmer.

Bird photography will come later today after a short nap!

Northern Lights on August 27, 2014 over Boulder Lake in Northern Minnesota

Day 137: Color at Night … Color in the Day

June 8, 2014Year 1MN North: Amity, Northern Lightsrichardhoeg@gmail.com

I will admit I did not work hard for today’s bird photograph. I was too darned tired after staying up most of the night photographing the great northern lights display. Thus, I was extremely happy when this purple finch flew into the yard and posed for today’s photograph. I hoped you enjoy today’s color … from the night and day.

Link to my other blog, Lake Superior Waves if you wish to see more Northern Lights photos from last night. I enjoyed three hours on Boulder Lake in northern Minnesota.

View this project’s Flickr photo stream. (click upon image to view at full size)

Color in the Afternoon (purple finch)

———-

Color in the Night (northern lights)

Day 102: Northern Lights to Green Heron Sunrise

May 4, 2014Year 1MN North: Amity, Northern Lightsrichardhoeg@gmail.com

If you are serious about photography, sleep will often be a precious commodity. Last night I was alerted that the Aurora Borealis was shining over Lake Superior. Without hesitation I headed out at 1:45 am to enjoy the display, and take some photographs. Knowing that true darkness ends about two hours before sunrise, at 4:00 am after spending a delightful two hours watching and photographing the Northern Lights, I drove home and got back in bed.

However, after only 1.5 hours at 6:00 am I was out of bed and hiking over to some ponds which had only become ice free within the past two days. The first light of morning … the golden hour … will enhance any photograph and display a bird’s plumage at its best. In addition, I knew that given all the lakes in the region except Lake Superior were still 100% ice covered, migrant birds would be enticed by the four small ponds that were my destination.

I was not disappointed. For 20 minutes I worked myself into position to photograph a green heron without spooking it. I hope you enjoy my heron photo, as well as the other pictures. My first photo is the Northern Lights display with the Aurora reflecting onto the Lake Superior ice!